The Night I Started Falling in Love with You
by penpanpen
Summary: We saw through each other that day, I think. (A short about the second time Kiiro ever spoke to Kyouya.)


When Alona was young she dreamt of being whisked away by a prince. They always started with a ballroom full of masked dancers, where everyone danced past her spinning in dizzying circle. It was always far too crowded for her to keep track of any set for too long. Her head whirled, trying to take in all the swaying and swishing of skirts and coat tails. All about the lights would dim and brighten without warning like a frenzied cycle of day and night.

She wore a mask as well. And she so desperately wanted to rip it off. And she so desperately wanted to dance.

She would wade through the crowd, enchanted and terrified. But then someone would take her by the hand. She could hardly make out their face beyond the mask, everything beyond his polite smile hidden from her. When his hand met hers things seemed to slow until everything around her was merely a blur of what it used to be. Wordlessly she would curtsy and he would bow and they would dance like all the others around them. And she would twirl around the room, dancing with anyone who took her hand and she would laugh and smile and spin. And she would always come back to that first someone, and he would kiss her hand and lead her through the crowd with ease.

And she would wake up.

But today, she was starting to wonder if it had been a premonition.

* * *

About four years before Alona ever decided to move to Japan or change her name, she attended a gala. She had been in attendance at the gala each year they had had it from the time she was seven and on. It was the fifth year she'd attended this time. The Satou family's Gala was always held in three parts. All of the adults, including Alona's mother this year, were hosted in the first ballroom. While the Satou's eldest child, Himiko, hosted a ball of her own separate where the children around her age were invited to. The third party had always been more of a literal cake and balloons party for children under the age of ten.

Himiko was a the kind of girl that liked to throw elegant parties. The kind with a live band that played symphonies and crystal chandeliers. Of course, even at age twelve Alona had gotten a bit used to these sorts of galas as a member of the upper class. This year's ball was a masquerade which Alona could always appreciate as masks served to be buffers for people at times. Alona had never been great at talking with people she hardly knew, and so she hardly knew anyone at all. Here in Tokyo it was even harder to come out of her shell. She was only ever here during spring break and occasionally over summer or during the holidays.

But masks made it a little easier.

So here she was at the entrance to the Satou's second ballroom. She scanned the crowd as Himiko greeted them over the loudspeaker. The theme of this year's ball had been "Rose Masquerade" and true to form there were roses in every hue of pink, red and cream climbing the ivory columns of the room. Between the chandeliers, glittering sheets of pink and red covered the high ceiling.

"How romantic." Alona said with a laugh under her breath. She smoothed down her skirt, feeling a little self conscious about it. It was the first time she had ever made a dress for herself. But she simply hadn't found anything she had liked in any of the boutiques she had visited. Even her aunt's friend, a well-known designer of the Hitachiin family hadn't had anything on offer that was to Alona's liking.

It was full carmine with a strapless bodice, and she had sewn the skirt in parts until the skirt itself looked like the bloom of an upside down rose. She was embarrassed now, wearing it. But her mother had praised it and she found herself hoping that was enough. Her mask was of the same color, decorated with lace.

She recalled the last few times she had been to this particular gala as boys asked the other girls- no doubt the girls they knew from school or otherwise- to dance. Last year had been the first time Himiko had held her own ball and Alona had been so nervous that she had snuck out to the garden outside to stargaze. The years before she had been only to the kids' part of the party where she could more easily keep to herself on a set of swings near where the party was held.

She wondered if she might sneak away now, find her younger sister Aneleigh at the kids party and then they would explore the garden. Of course, she'd return before the party was over. She had a good girl reputation to uphold. No one would even miss her, she had a mask on, no one even knew who she was. The problem would be spiriting Aneleigh away from under the noses of the guards hired to make sure the youngest children and heirs of multi-billionaire companies were where they ought to be.

Perhaps she would just stroll the garden by herself again this year.

She was about to do just that when a boy came to stand before her.

"Excuse me, miss." he extended his hand, his voice dripping with the politeness of a perfect gentleman. "Would you like to dance?"

Alona's heart flipped, it wasn't that she was a bad dancer -she'd been taking ballroom dancing courses since she was nine- and it wasn't that she couldn't speak Japanese- she'd been bilingual since she was six- but she couldn't keep up a conversation in any of the languages she knew! But, what else could she do, run away? She nodded placing her hand in his.

Right away she could tell he was an exceptional dancer, his feet never touched hers and he could keep tempo with the orchestra perfectly.

She had absolutely no clue who she was dancing with. He had to be around her age, everyone here was. He had black hair and wore a plain mask of deep purple. His suit was accented in that same color but was mostly a dark gray.

While Alona thought he looked quite nice, her opinion didn't serve to make it easier to actually speak with him. He ended up being the one to break the ice, "So, who are you under the mask?"

His voice was a little familiar, and he spoke in smooth tones. If anything could be said about it, the geniality of it sounded a bit faked.

"Ah, I'm Alona Harper." she introduced herself

He nodded, "Of Harper Incorporate? I'm Kyouya Ootori."

His name was familiar as well. She had heard of the Ootori Group, they dealt mostly with hospitals, her father's business had collaborated with them on occasion.

"Did your family come all the way to Japan to attend?" he asked.

She appreciated the easy questions, even if it seemed like he already knew the answers. In a, perhaps too quiet, voice she replied, "Well, my family visits every spring. My grandmother is Japanese and she lives here in Tokyo. Of course, my father has a lot of business deals here, too. It's luck that this gala coincides with our visits." she offered him a polite smile.

"It is good luck to meet you, Miss Harper." he smiled back.

Alona was a little aggravated with him then. It was so fake. The way he had said that...

"Well, you're wearing more than one mask, aren't you?" she said sharply.

Even in the dim light she could see his eyes flash, his smile fell for a moment giving way to a frown and a raised eyebrow.

Immediately she was embarrassed. How rude of her! She contemplated running away right then and there.

"Whatever do you mean?" his dishonesty returned, but it was a bit broken then and far too obvious. A trace of irritation ran beneath it.

'Explain it away, Alona!' she thought, but instead the sharpness stayed, "That politeness you're exuding. It's all pomp and practice. I wonder what you're really about." She knew at that point she had to excuse herself, "I'm so sorry! I don't know what's come over me, Mr. Ootori! It must be the jet lag!" she lied taking a step back from him. "I'll um, I'll go. So sorry." with that she made a beeline for the doors that led to the garden. Not bothering to look back to where he stood surprised.

"Oh my god, that was so rude..." she muttered, walking along the path of smooth stones that carved through the beds of dahlias and carnations. 'Dad's going to be so mad when he hears...' And of course he would hear. Collaborations between companies could easily dissipate in the face of ill words. She had certainly just insulted an Ootori.

She sat on a bench crowded with rose bushes. She swung her feet like a child, untying her mask. What had come over her?

She sighed, she was just at her wits end with the false attitudes thrown about at events like these. It was hard enough making friends without having near everyone lie to your face. She slumped back against the bench looking up at the unfamiliar stars above Tokyo.

"Alona?"

The voice from behind her made her jump. But of course it was just Kyouya Ootori again, which was perhaps worse. Her stomach rolled with anxiety.

"Ah, you followed me out here." she focused on her fiddling hands. "I really am sorry about what I said. I just-"

"Save it." he held up a hand, waving her excuse off.

Well at least his impoliteness was genuine. He sat beside her, losing his mask. He drew an eyeglass case from his jacket pocket. They certainly suited him.

"I came out here because I was surprised." he rested his head on the back of his hand. His manner a good deal more relaxed and natural in that moment.

"Surprised at my outburst?" she gave him a sidelong glance.

"More surprised that you'd said anything about my act at all. That you had even noticed it." he returned her scrutinous gaze. "Most are too vapid to see through it."

A laugh fell from her lips, to describe "most" people as vapid was certainly a cynical way to view people, "That's telling."

"Hm?"

"Vapid? Not the most optimistic of worldviews."

He shrugged, "I'd consider myself a realist."

'And an egoist.' Alona thankfully kept that to herself. "I'm a little surprised myself." she admitted. "I know a good number of people wear masks. But the mask you wear, Kyouya, is like a separate side of a coin."

"Many people would rather welcome the polite smile. What I think about someone shouldn't matter. Whatever earns more merit."

"Then why are you being so honest to me now?" she found herself rather appreciative of his sincerity here.

"Would you believe my kind words now? You've already seen through it." he crossed one leg over the other. "Why bother?" he added. "It's not like you'll tell anyone about my impoliteness anyhow."

"How do you know that?" she pressed.

"You're not the only person who excels at reading people." he returned.

She couldn't help but laugh then, this whole conversation had been so...different.

"What?" a flare of aggravation appeared in his eyes, he couldn't stand being laughed at.

"It's- It's just interesting to talk like this." she clarified. "To talk to someone you hardly know, without having to worry about what you say and how it will effect someone."

He gave some thought to it, "I suppose."

She carried on without really thinking her words through, "You know, I often have to deal with my anxiety... It can get pretty bad. So it's hard to get to know people once I'm past my shyness. But, I have to admit...sometimes it's simply because it can be uninteresting to talk to some people."

"Are we both spouting truths, now?"

At length he added, "Though, I can sympathize with that. People are predictable, unchallenging. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get into their good graces..."

"Are you looking for a challenge, Kyouya?" she turned to him, resting her elbow against the back of the bench.

"It wouldn't be unwelcome." he admitted.

A beat past and he had a bit of an epiphany, "I know where I remember you from." he began. "It was about five years ago, wasn't it?"

"What?" she knitted her brow before recalling- very vaguely- her time at the very same gala half a decade ago. He had been the sweet boy she had danced with when she was seven. "Y-you seem different from before."

He shrugged, "I was seven."

"Right."

His watch beeped, "Ah, I'm going back now." he announced, standing. He began to switch his glasses with his mask.

Alona took no heed of the abrupt end to their conversation, but when he held his hand out to her she was a bit confused.

"I'll not leave you out here alone. We'll go back inside and we'll finish the dance I requested."

"We will?" she raised an eyebrow at his presumption.

He nodded, "Despite what you've perceived of me, _you_ are polite."

He was right, so she stood, allowing him to lead her back by the hand.

"Besides," he began as they approached the open french doors, "judging by the fact that you've made your own dress, it's not like you want to go completely unnoticed."

"Wait, how did you know I made this?" her heart hammered in her chest, in that moment he had seen right through her. Like it was the easiest thing in the world.

"I can just tell."

She was entirely self conscious of her dress then.

But she went back with him anyway and they danced again.

And it was fun, admittedly. And when she did return to California that week, he had emailed her. And they had begun to strike up conversations like it was the most normal thing in the world.

* * *

Kiiro came out of her day dreaming as she sat at her easel in her dorm in Boston, five years after that odd conversation in the Satou's garden. Kyouya now sat on her couch, typing away at his laptop.

"Ne, Kyouya?"

"Yes, Kiiro?"

"Do you remember...it had to have been five years ago now, when we were at the Satou's gala? I was wondering, how did you know I'd made that dress?"

He seemed to consider it for a moment, before answering in his host voice, "It was proof that you were someone who wanted to be known, Kiiro."

"D-don't use your host voice with me, Kyouya." she avoided his gaze. "It doesn't suit you."

He hummed, smiling, "So I'm told." he shut his laptop, "Let's go out." he proffered.

"Go out? Where to?" she raised an eyebrow at the abrupt offer.

"We'll get lunch." he concluded.

"I could make something." she offered.

He laughed, "I don't trust you to cook yet, Kiiro."

"Hey! You were the one who wanted to study abroad." she bumped him with her hip. "Didn't think you would have to cook for yourself, yeah?" she grinned.

"Hush." he commanded, kissing her. "I'll take you somewhere nice so don't try to insult me."

She held her tongue grinning as she kissed him back.


End file.
